Drawing Fire
by storyweaver24
Summary: Valentine's Day Jily fluff! Enjoy.


**A/N: This was written for Jily Secret Valentines for ajamesandlilykindoflove. It is also based off of "just room for two" by anxiouspineapples. It's just silly fluff, but it's cute. :)**

**Disclaimer: I'm not JK Rowling. Sorry. **

* * *

_You own me with whispers like poetry  
Your mouth is a melody I've memorized  
So sweet, I hear it echoing  
Everywhere I go, day and night.  
-Tip of My Tongue (Civil Wars)_

* * *

The Common Room was, for once, completely quiet. There was just Lily, enjoying her book by the fireplace, all warm and cozy. The half-moon shone through the windows and the dancing flames gave the room a cheery glow.

Lily turned the page, hastily trying to get to the next line. It was the best part, the intense part, her favorite part. Anything short of wild Hippogriffs couldn't drive her away from the written word.

Well, wild Hippogriffs or James Potter. "What're you reading?" He asked, dropping onto the couch like a sack of potatoes and startling her nearly out of her skin. She glanced up with a frown.

"Don't scare me like that," she scolded.

He shrugged and offered her a grin. "Hey, don't snap. I started talking to you about a minute ago."

"Oh," she said, cheeks reddening. "I didn't realize – "

"You were a little busy, I see that." He answered for her, drawing absentminded shapes on her legs. The corners of her mouth twitched up. "Why are you wearing shorts in the middle of winter? You're going to catch your death of cold."

"They're comfortable. I've got a sweater on, besides, and it's quite warm here. I'm not cold."

"Then why do you have goose-bumps? And look, there was a shiver."

She didn't tell him that it was because of his feather-light fingers. "You're just imagining things now."

"Oh, Lily dear, it's not nearly late enough for that."

"Speaking of late, where have you been? It's nearly eleven."

"Out." He said, his drawings inching closer to her knee. "With the boys. Head privilege."

She snorted and tried to pretend that she wasn't losing the ability to breathe properly. "You had detention, didn't you?"

"Guilty. But I got away first and _that_ was a privilege. What are you still doing up?"

_Waiting for you_. "Reading. Head Privilege."

She wanted to kiss his smirk away. "I thought reading was a given for everyone."

"You're an idiot sometimes," she said, smiling as he shook his head.

"I'm always an idiot when it comes to you, Lily Evans." He confided and she gave him a light shove. He laughed and she did too, not able to help herself.

When the laughter died away, they found themselves sitting in comfortable quiet, enjoying each other's closeness. It was something they rarely found, peace and quiet, so they shared it with each other and were happy.

"James," Lily said, breaking the silence after seconds or years or minutes, "do you ever feel like you've spent the whole day waiting for something, but you don't know what?"

He studied her face thoughtfully for a moment. "I don't think I have." Her expression fell, just a little because she so badly needed someone to understand.

"It's a kind of sadness, really. Like I've forgotten what I'm waiting for, or like I'm wandering around in a fog. It feels like a ghost, almost," she said, biting her lip. With one gentle tug, she was wrapped in his arms. She laid her head on his chest and breathed deeply for what seemed like the first time in ages. He stroked her hair idly and rubbed her back, and she swallowed tears she didn't know were there.

"Thank you," she whispered into his shirt, and she could feel his reply rumbling deep in his chest.

"Whenever you need me," he promised, "I'll be there."

They were just a breath apart, now, and soft smiles graced their lips. He leaned in and kissed her, deep and slow, like fire. His breath was hot against her lips, burning, burning, burning. She curled her fingers into his shirt, holding him close. One of his hands was cradling her face, his soft fingers pressed to her flushed face. His other hand was hooked around her ankles.

He pressed her further back into the couch. She smiled, feeling like she was drowning, but she hardly cared. She would drown like this every day.

With a slight chuckle, James broke away. Lily's eyes fluttered open to see hazel gazing at her.

"What was that for?" She asked, out of breath and feeling cold, now, with the inch of space between them. Her hands scrabbled across his shoulders, trying to bring him closer. He chuckled again and lightly touched the furrow between her eyebrows. "And why'd you stop?"

"It wouldn't be very, ahem, _appropriate_ if anyone was to see their Heads kissing in the Common Room, now wouldn't it?"

She glowered at him. "Who are you and what have you done with my 'anything-goes' James Potter? I don't know if I like this rule-abiding boy."

He laughed and kissed her pouting mouth, not scalding anymore. "Don't you remember? I'm an idiot when it comes to you. And admit it, you like it. That's why you keep me around."

"Maybe," she said grudgingly. "Or maybe I keep you around for your Transfiguration help."

"So I'm a glorified tutor?"

"Fine, it might be your body."

"Just my body? I did think I was good company."

"You would be mistaken then."

"Cheeky," he muttered.

"Guilty."

"You've hurt my pride, you know." It was his turn to pout now. A year ago, and on someone other than James, a pout of that magnitude would have earned a smack. As of right now, it earned a smile instead. "And you're laughing about it. Definitely cheeky, Evans."

"What am I to do?" She said, playing along.

"Well, a kiss always does wonders," he answered, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. She rolled her eyes, but mirrored his smile.

"Wasn't it you who put a stop to the kissing nonsense before, Potter?"

"I've changed my mind."

"Mm, have you?" Her mouth was teasingly close to his, but she kept just out of his reach –out of spite, or maybe anticipation. "Convenient of you, isn't it?" When she slipped away yet another time, he growled.

"Shut up and kiss me."

And she did. It was as heated as the kiss before, and every touch still as scorching. Her mind whirled and her body hummed contentedly as it always did when she was with James.

"So that's why he was in such a rush to clean the trophies!" A voice declared, and James and Lily sprang apart. Before they knew it, they were both sitting straight up with six inches between them, panting slightly. Lily was sure there was a blush staining her cheeks, and she could see faint red on James' face as well.

Sirius grinned and sat down on the other side of James, not embarrassed in the least. "He said he was tired, but he really just wanted a snog!"

Lily winced. "Do you mind not having a best friend?"

"I'm going to kill him first." James muttered to her, curling his fingers into fists. Sirius saw, and laughed harder.

"For shame, the Head Girl and Head Boy kissing in public!" He scolded. Remus and Peter pulled him up from the couch, the former smiling apologetically and the latter sniggering under his breath.

They hauled him up to the dorm and James turned back to her with a sheepish grin. Lily reached out, brushing away the fringe, and pressed her lips to his forehead. He pulled her mouth down to his as the clock struck twelve.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" She dimly heard Sirius shout, but she was a little bit occupied.

"That's right." James said when there was a pause. "It's the fourteenth. Hey, Evans? Be my Valentine?"

She smiled at him. "I'm yours, Potter."


End file.
